Lighter



Nov. 28, 1933.

R. E. BERTHO LD LIGHTER Filed May 27, 1933 ,f l ENTO 2 BY I ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTER Application May 2'1, 1933. Serial No. 673,257

11 Claims.

This invention relates to lighters of a character adapted to the purpose of igniting cigarettes and the like, and my improvements are particularly directed to a device of this nature wherein 5 the vapor from alcohol or other vaporizable fiuid, in its absorption by platinum black, or similar catalytic substances, creates incandescence in a body or block thereof, whereby, upon applying a cigarette end to said body, and drawing upon the cigarette, the resulting incandescence enables ignition of the cigarette to be effected.

The lighter consists of a casing containing an absorbent which is charged with a vaporizable fluid (pure methanol alcohol giving excellent results), and a block or body of platinum black, spongy platinum, or the like, is disposed at the outer end of the casing, being suitably supported in position to collect the vapor, means also being provided for creating a current of air that will assist the flow of vapor to the catalytic element.

This application comprehends a lighter structure which is a development of my earlier Patent No. 1,899,008, dated February 28, 1933.

The casing contains a removable support for absorbent material, said support having the form of a sleeve that is adapted to be fitted snugly within the casing, and to be filled with abwick, said support, when fitted within the easing,-having a projecting portion that may be slightly reduced in outside diameter. i

Also there is provided a hollow holder that is adapted to fit removably upon the projecting portion of the wick support, the outer end of said holder being reduced in its inside diameter, as by an inturned flange.

The catalytic element, which may be in the form of a circular block or disk of platinum black, and may be perforated, is supported by an annular socket that is located within said holder, being retained therein by the end flange, said socket being held in position as by a split ring. Also the wall of said socket is prbvided with orifices to admit air to the peripheral edge of the element.

Since it is essential that there shall be no contact between the wick, which is saturated with vaporizable fluid, and the catalytic element, which latter would be deteriorated by such contact, the length of the holder is sufficient to allow for the provision of an ample space between said element and the wick, when the holder is fittedon the wick support; and

sorbent material as in-the form of a cylindrical the wall of the holder is pierced with orifices for the admission of atmospheric air into said space, it being due to the presence of air that vapor collected in said space from the vaporizable fluid will-cause the element to assume the desired incandescence,

A removable capis provided to fit over the casing, covering the holder, to enclose the catalytic element as well as the air admission means when the lighter is not in use.

It is to be appreciated that the act of drawing upon a cigarette which is applied to the catalytic element moves a current of collected vapor and air from the space in the holder, against said element to create the incandescence therein for ignition purposes, but when air is excluded, as by closing the casing, and hence no heating of the element occurs, it is undesirable that vapor in the holder space shall be allowed to collect upon' said element, for its deterioration. Therefore, to guard against such collection of vapor upon the element a disk of fine wire mesh may be placed beneath the element, being spaced therefrom by an annulus that lies against the element holding socket, and means are also provided to retain the disk of wire mesh and'annulus in their set position. Means are also provided for the passage of air between the periphery of the annulus and the wall of the holder. Vapor will then collect upon the disk of fine wire mesh, whence it will be in readiness to co-act with the element when the casing is opened for the admissionof air. Inpracticeithas been found desirable to make the catalytic element with a fiat upper surface, but with its under surface concave, to thereby provide a larger sur- .face area for co-action with the vapor.

Other features andadvantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing:-

Figure l is a sectional elevation of my improved lighter.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the respective members of which the lighter is composed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the holder ineluding some additional members, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the annular spacer employed in the holder of Fig. 4.

In said figures let 1 indicate a tubular casing, which, as shown, is provided with an annular shoulder 2 that serves as a stop for a tubular cap 3, that is to be removably fitted upon said casing for closure purposes.

Removably contained within the casing 1 is a no tubular sleeve 4 which is adapted to snugly fit absorbent'material from within said casing, the length of said sleeve exceeding the length of the casing in order that it may project outwardly beyond the open end of said casing, for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Said sleeve 4 is to be fllled with absorbent material that is to be saturated with vaporizable fluid. A cylindrical length of felt 5 that fills the sleeve and has good ca'pillarity, answers the purpose efliciently. The upper edge of the sleeve 4 may be inturned slightly, as at 6, to prevent the protruding beyond said sleeve.

The catalytic element employed in the lighter is here shown, in the form of a disk 7, as supported in a holder 8 that is of tubular form and adapted to fit removably upon the projecting portionof sleeve 4, said projecting portion being represented at 9, in the example, as reduced in diameter.

The outer end of the holder 8 is provided with an inturned flange 10 that engages the disk 7 about its edge, said disk being seated in an annular socket member 11 which has a radial flange 12 that abuts against flange 10,'a split ring 13 being positioned within the holder against the under surface of flange 12 to retain the socket member in its set, position.

The disk 7, which may be of platinum black or the like, is shown as provided with an aperture 14 therethrough, for fluid flow, and said disk is concaved at its under surface to present a larger area to the rising vapors. The outer surface of the disk is preferably flat, for more complete contact therewith by a cigarette end in the igniting operation.

The length of the holder member 8 is suflicient to provide a clearance 15 which separates the catalytic element from the top of the fluid saturated absorbent material, to thereby preclude any possibility of the raw fluid from contacting with said element, and at the same time providing --an intermediate space or chamber within the mesh out of contact with said holder in which vapor from the-fluid may collect. Apertures 16 formed in the wall of holder 8 serve for the admission of air into chamber 15,

thereby providing a proper admixture of vapor and air for the creation of incandescence in the catalytic element. Also the wall of the socket member 11, which is spaced from the wall of holder 8, is provided with apertures 1'7, to admit vapor and air to contact with the periphery of disk -7. 1

An important reason forensheathing the absorbent material in the removable sleeve 4 is that thereby said sleeve, containing the absorbent material, may be removed from-the casing to charge the absorbent material with .vaporizable fluid, and then said sleeve can be inserted in the casing without causingthe introduction of an excess of fluid into said casing. Thus there is avoided the liability of flooding the casing with the fluid, and the consequent deleterious eiiect upon the catalytic element.

In the modification of Fig. 4 the holder 8 is shown as containing a disk of fine wire mesh 18, disposed beneath the catalytic element, and spaced therefrom by an annulus 19, and retained in position as by a split ring 20 located beneath said disk. i

' The purpose of the mesh is to collect any condensation of vapor that may occur, and to pro tect the catalytic element from receiving such condensation; the annulus 19 serving to hold the element.

The annulus 19 may bev provided with means,-

such as the peripheral nicks 21, to permit the.

passage of vapor and air between it and the wall of holder 8.

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equallycomprehended by the foregoing disclosure. I claim:

1. A lighter comprising a casing, a sleeve removably fitting said casing and projecting therebeyond, absorbent material ensheathed by said sleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon the projecting portion of said sleeve, a perforated disk of catalytic material, means atthe outer end of said holder to support said disk distanced from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder, and air admission means for said space. 2. A lighter comprising a casing, a sleeve removably fitting said casing and projecting therebeyond, absorbent material ensheathed by said sleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon the projecting portion of said sleeve, a perforated disk of catalytic material, means at the outer end of said holder to support said disk distanced from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder, air admission means for said space, and removable closure means for said casing adapted to enclose said disk'and 'air admission means.

3. A lighter comprising a casing, a sleeve removably fitting said casing and projecting therebeyond, absorbent material ensheathed by said sleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon the projecting portion of said sleeve, said holder having an inturned end flange, a perforated disk of catalytic material, an annular socket member to support said disk, said socket member having a radial flange to abut against said inturned flange, whereby said disk is distanced from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder, air admission means for said space, air admission means through the wall of said socket member to the periphery of said disk, and means for retaining said socket member in its set position.

4. A lighter comprising a casing, a sleeve removably fitting said casing and projecting therebeyond, absorbent material ensheathed by said sleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon the .projecting portion bf said sleeve, said holder having an inturned end flange, a perforated disk to support said disk, said socket member having a radial flange to abut against said inturned flange, whereby said disk is distanced from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder, air admission means for of catalytic material, an annular socket member surface exposed for contact with a cigarette or the like, and having an opposite, concaved surface to enlarge its receptive area, means for supporting said element upon said casing with its concaved surface in the path of vapor from said fluid, said supporting means enclosing a.

space distancing said element from said absorbent material, and air admission means for said space.

6. A lighter comprising a casing material absorbent of vaporizable fluid contained in said casing, a perforated catalytic element having a surface exposed for contact with a cigarette or the like, and having an opposite, concaved surface to enlarge its receptive area, means for supporting said element upon said casing with its concaved surface in the path of vapor from said fluid, said supporting means enclosing a space distancing said element from said absorbent mament from said absorbent material, a disk of flne wire mesh opposed to said element in said space, means for holding said disk out of contact with said element, and air admission means for said space.

8. A lighter comprising a casing material absorbent of vaporizable fluid contained in said casing, a perforated catalytic element exposed for contact with a cigarette or the like, means or supporting said element upon said casing in the path of vapor from said fluid. said supporting means enclosing a space distancing said element from said absorbent material, a disk of fine wire mesh opposed to said element in said space, means for holding said disk out of contact with said element, air admission mea'nsfor said space, and removable. closure means for said casin adapted to cover said disk and said air admission means. v

9. A lighter comprising a casing, a sleeve removably fitting said casing and. projecting therebeyond, absorbent material ensheathed by said sleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon the projecting portion of said sleeve, a disk of catalytic material, and means at the outer end of said holder to support said disk distanced from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder.

10. A lighter comprising a casing, a sleeve removably fitting said casing and projecting therebeyond, absorbent material ensheathed by said sleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon the projecting portion of said sleeve, a disk of catalytic material, means at the outer end of said holder to support said disk distanced from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder, and removable closure means for said casing adapted to enclose said disk.

11. A lighter comprising a casing, asleeve re- DO movably fitting said casing, absorbent material ensheathed by saidsleeve, a tubular holder removably fitting upon said sleeve, a perforated disk of catalytic material, means at the outer end of said holder to support said disk distanced 135 from said absorbent material, to provide an intermediate space in said holder, and air admission means for said space.

p E. BER'I'HOLD. 11:- 

